The Times of India newspaper, citing security officers, said the attackers were foreign members of the Pakistan-based Lashkar-e-Taiba.

The attack comes shortly after a raid by separatist fighters on an Indian air base that stalled bilateral talks between neighbouring India and Pakistan.

Kashmir is divided into two parts, separately administered by India and Pakistan. The countries have fought two wars over the region and more than 45,000 people have been killed since a secessionist movement took hold in the 1980s.